Driving Tips

The "Rounding" Driving Style

   The basic driving style most commonly used for all forms of on road, tarmac and carpet racing, involves using the full width of the road available and cutting each apex as tight as possible, whilst keeping complete control of the car on the track. The style, often referred to as "Rounding" looks quite simple to those watching, but to get it right needs good hand eye coordination and lots of practice.

How Its Done

   Consider a 180 degree turn. As you enter the corner, start with the car positioned close to the outside of the track, then as you approach the corner brake hard, but not too hard, just enough to slow the car so you maintain control and smoothly guide the car across the point of the apex, gently sweeping round until you are approximately 75% around the corner. At this point, gradually increase the throttle out of the corner, under full control and guiding the car to the opposite outside line. By the time the car is pointing straight on the track, you should be at almost full throttle, before you brake hard again for the next corner.

Walk Before You Run

   Developing this driving style comes in stages. Don't try to run before you can walk, install a low powered motor and practice, practice, practice - until it becomes second nature. Then, as your skills improve, try something with a little more power.

Transmitter Settings

   Initially set your transmitter to aggressive breaking and gradually reduce this as you get the feel of the car around the corner. Remember, the faster you enter a corner, the faster you exit it.

   When you first try out this style in a race, be patient, keep the car smooth and controlled. Remember the story about the hare and the tortoise? Well, believe me, when you first start in RC, it works.

Car Setup

   To make this driving style work, the car needs to have the right tires, inserts and a low centre of gravity. Adjust the suspension to provide only a small amount of body-roll and use the set-up guide, linked below, to help you set your car to suit your driving style.

   Avoid over-steer, always aim for a little under-steer. Grip is the keyword for the rounding style of driving, but not too much grip. Slicks for outdoor racing and a worn set of Hawgs I found to be best for carpet racing. If your car rolls sideways off the track as you enter the corner, try a harder tire compound, or change the damper springs or oil weights as suggested in our set-up guide. Good luck and good racing.

Drift

   If the style you are looking for is to drift slide your car around the corners, I would recommend you perfect the rounding style first, then check out my other hints and tips to learn how.

   At present, the RC Model Manufacturers, Brands and Distributors covered by us are: ABC Hobby, Academy, Acme Racing, Agama Racing, Amewi, Ansmann Racing, ARRMA, Team Associated, Atomic RC, Axial, AYK, Bolink, BSD Racing, Capricorn, Carisma, Carson, Caster Racing, Cen, Corally, Custom Works, Durango, Duratrax, ECX - Electrix, Exceed RC, FG Modellsport, FS-Racing, FTX, Fujimi, Gmade, GS-Racing, Harm, HBX, Helion, Heng Long, Himoto Racing, Hirobo, Hitari, Hobao, Hong-Nor, Hot Bodies, HPI, HSP, Intech, Integy, Jamara, JQ Products, Kawada, Kyosho, Losi, LRP, Maisto, Mardave, Marui, Maverick, MCD Racing, Megatech, Mugen, New Bright, Nichimo, Nikko, Nkok, Ofna, Pro-Pulse, Protech, PTI, RC4WD, Redcat Racing, RJ-Speed, Robitronic, Schumacher, Seben, Serpent, Smartech, Sportwerks, Step-Up, Tamiya, Team-C Racing, Team Magic, Thunder Tiger, Tomy, Top Racing, Traxxas, Trinity, Tyco, Vaterra RC, Venom, VRX Racing, WLToys, X-Factory, Xmods, Xpress, Xray, XTM, Yankee RC, Yokomo, ZD Racing and Zipzaps.

   This is an ongoing project, with new and "lost in time" RC Models and Brands being added as they are found and although most of those listed above have been covered in relative detail, some are still being researched and will be completed in the near future.